This South Kensington wine merchant is as elegant, chilled and refreshing as a
crisp glass of chardonnay.

“If you’re looking for a £5 bottle of plonk, you’re in the wrong place,” quips Jamie Hutchinson, the co-founder and manager of The Sampler, as I walk through the doors of his south London shop. As someone who’s usually content with a month-old Spanish red – the type that comes in a carton – I’m tempted to turn on my heel, but there’s something about this quirky wine retailer that invites you to linger.

From the ceiling decor fashioned from old wine bottles to the rustic crates stacked up against the walls, The Sampler is far from pretentious, offering a unique tasting experience to wine experts, casual drinkers and everything in between. Set up in 2006 by Jamie and business partner Dawn, the aim behind the independent business is to “demystify” expensive and unusual wines. A shop, bar and tasting room rolled into one, it’s a haven for oenophiles, nestled in a quiet street just minutes from Old Brompton Road, London.

Floor to ceiling wine: the shop's specialised Italian tasting cabinet is on the right. Photo: The Sampler

At first glance, The Sampler looks like an upmarket Threshers: caramel-coloured walls, dimmed spotlights and row upon row of red, white and rose-tinted bottles of all shapes and sizes. Look a little closer, however, and you’ll start to understand the shop’s idiosyncratic charm. Whether it’s the dog-patterned wallpaper on the stairs, the collection of corks piled haphazardly in a bowl by the window, or the eclectic collection of champagne bottles fenced in by metal chains (“It’s the only thing that gets nicked,” Jamie explains), this is not your average high-street wine store.

On arrival, I am offered an electronic tasting card – essentially a glorified Oyster card – which I can charge up with money to spend on the shop’s 10 specialised tasting machines. Imported from Italy, this is the star attraction at The Sampler, offering glasses of selected wines for as little as 30p. To keep the hi-tech cabinets cool, nitrogen is piped straight into the bottles from a generator in the basement, keeping whites at 9C and reds at 18C. The mix of bottles, ranging from unoaked Australian chardonnays to fruity pinot noirs, reminds me of a sophisticated pick 'n' mix counter.

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"The problem with good wines is that it's hard to judge what you're paying quite a lot of money for without tasting them," Jamie tells me. "What should really matter is personal taste – not reputation or a fancy label. The Sampler lets us sell more unusual and risky wines; the idea is to let people try them as cheaply as possible, whether it's a 60-year-old rioja or a rich Argentinean shiraz."

Keeping things chilled at The Sampler. Photo: Heythorp Ltd

An average bottle at The Sampler will set you back around £12, although some start at £6. "We don't go much higher than £2,000," jokes Jamie - or at least I think he's joking, until I see the price tag on the £2,095 1982 Chateau Latour, hidden away in a locked cabinet in the basement. There’s also an ‘Icons’ tasting machine – something for those who know their Vin Jaune from their Chateau Petrus – stocked with carefully-selected bottles at an extravagant £50 a glass.

As well as selling wine, the shop offers tasting sessions (priced between £10 and £200 a go) and has recently opened a basement bar, complete with traditional wooden furniture, bluesy background music and plates of French cheese and saucisson. Unfortunately, on the day I dropped by, a dishwasher explosion had left Jamie and his team knee-deep in water – and a gaping hole in the shop ceiling – but they were upbeat about the new bar reopening within a few days.

Weekly events are held at The Sampler's tasting room. Photo: The Sampler

As evening falls, the chatter of young professionals spills out onto the street and the shop is transformed into a popular after-work spot. In a quiet corner, a student is swirling her glass while scribbling tasting notes in a journal; in another, a couple browses the shop’s wedding list service over a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. The character of The Sampler is undeniable – from Jamie’s team of 12 staff to Ivy, the border collie with her own wine shelf – and it’s a cosy hub to spend a few hours on a cold winter’s night.

By the time I leave, I’m feeling a bit heady from the wall-to-wall wine that fills this unassuming shop. Weaving my way past shelves of glittering decanters and beefy Cuban cigars – they really have thought of everything – I head for the door; but not before picking up a nice bottle of red (Morandina valpolicella superiore, to be precise) to go with my dinner. The Sampler may give some people a taste for the finer things, but I’m not sure I’ll ditch my £5 habit quite so easily.